The worker had gone to a vacant Crathie Drive home for a leak repair before he disappeared.
HUMBLE, Texas — A family’s search for a repairman who did not come home from work led deputies Thursday night to a vacant home, where the man was found shot to death, Harris County officials said.
The worker, described by deputies as a man in his early 30s, had been scheduled for a repair job at a home on Crathie Drive in the Balmoral subdivision. When he did not return home for several hours, relatives contacted his employer. The company tracked his work truck to the address, and deputies were later flagged down near the home.
Harris County Sheriff’s Office investigators said deputies entered the residence after arriving around 10:45 p.m. They found the repairman dead from at least one gunshot wound. Sgt. Greg Pinkins said the worker had gone there to fix a leak and was expected to meet the homeowner’s son at the property earlier in the afternoon.
The home was vacant and believed to be listed for sale, authorities said. Detectives had not determined whether the homeowner’s son met the repairman or whether someone else let him inside. Pinkins said investigators had not been able to speak with the son during the first hours of the investigation.
A black sedan became a key part of the inquiry after investigators learned one had been seen leaving the home. Pinkins said the sedan did not match the vehicle the homeowner’s son was believed to drive. Deputies were working to identify the car, its driver and any passengers.
Detectives also reported finding shell casings in the home. They were seeking a search warrant so the scene could be processed in detail. Authorities had not released the repairman’s name, announced any arrests or described a suspect. They also had not said whether robbery, a dispute or another motive was being examined.
The case left investigators with several early questions: when the shooting happened, who was inside the home, why the worker was shot and where the black sedan went after leaving the property. Officials said those answers would depend on witness interviews, scene evidence and any available surveillance from the neighborhood.
By Friday, the investigation remained active, with homicide detectives focused on the vacant home, the missing hours between the repair appointment and the 10:45 p.m. call, and the search for the sedan seen leaving Crathie Drive.
Author note: Last updated July 3, 2026.